Medford’s Samantha Lopilato thrilled to join Mustang Hall of Fame

Thursday

For years Samantha Lopilato seemed to stand in her older sister Nicole's shadow at Medford High School, and for good reason.

Her big sister put up impressive numbers, and left a lasting legacy with the Mustangs excelling as a three-sport athlete, before graduating in 2010.

However, her sister Sam proved to be every bit as formidable in her own right, carving out her own unique niche with Mustangs proving that their athletic prowess was indeed hereditary.

This will be confirmed next month, as both enter the Medford Mustang Hall of Fame.

“It’s exciting,” said Samantha. “Especially going in the same year as my sister, who I obviously looked up a lot to in sports.”

“It felt weird at first, because my sister Nicole got the phone call the night before me,” she added. “I just remember being so excited for her, because I knew how much she deserved it. I didn’t even think twice. And then the next day they called me. So it was exciting.”

A member of the Class of 2013, Samantha will be one of 14 new inductees during the 2018 ceremony on Sunday, Nov.18, at the Irish American Hall in Malden.

“It’s really special,” said Samantha, 23. “ I never even thought I’d be in it. So to be inducted with her is awesome.”

“I was always known as ‘Little Lopie,’ or ‘Nicole’s little sister,’” she recalled. “Until I was a junior I didn’t even have a first name (laughs). So it’s really cool to be inducted with someone who I strived to be as good as.”

Sam also looking forward to reuniting with a few familiar faces at the ceremony who were influential to her success, including MHS shot put legend Nathan Clement.

“Nate and I pushed each other to be really good at sports, and we still touch base on things about life," she said. "It’s awesome to be inducted with people that cared about you throughout this whole process.”

A three-sport athlete, Samantha proved to be a consummate gamer on every team she played for. Whether it was tending goal for the girls soccer team, skating right wing for girls hockey team, or anchoring the diamond at shortstop for the Medford High softball team, the Mustangs knew they could always count on her.

Lopilato helped elevate the upstart Mustangs girls hockey program, originally joining the team as an eighth grader. The five-year letterman was a force becoming one of the first three 100-point scorers.

“As a team our best season was my sophomore year,” said Samantha. “I think we had an undefeated regular season and went on to making it to the second round of the State Tournament.”

Lopilato joined the varsity softball team as a freshman, playing along side her big sister, Nicole.

“My sister was the third baseman, but when I got up to varsity they shifted her to shortstop and I played third,” Samantha said. “So we had a little Westside action going on there. That was pretty cool as a freshman to play with her as a senior.”

During her tenure, Lopilato helped the Mustangs clinch a Greater Boston League championship, for the first time in years.

After graduating in 2013, Lopilato moved on to play softball in the college ranks for Bridgewater University for the next four seasons.

She recently earned her Master’s Degree at UMass/Boston, and is now working as a third grade teacher in Dorchester, utilizing all that she has learned from her athletic experiences..

“I talk about sports a lot, especially with all the young kids I’ve been teaching,” she said.

”All the lessons we’ve learned from sports, whether it be with your teammates, coaches, parents, or even administration. The lessons you learn with consistency, making commitments, work ethic and just so many other things that I’ve carried with me through Medford High, to Bridgewater, to UMass/Boston and now as a teacher, I feel like those are a lot of lessons I learned mainly through sports.”

And something her and her sister will continue to carry in the years to come.